A valve assembly for an internal combustion engine generally includes a valve spring and a valve seal having a retainer. Before the valve spring and the retainer fit into place, a valve seal is usually positioned over a valve stem. Valve stem seals control the amount of oil allowed between a valve stem and a valve stem guide. The seal functions in the manner of a positive seal or umbrella seal to prevent oil from flowing down the valve stem into the combustion chamber. The spring, which normally acts to keep the valve closed, is held in place by an individual retainer that is secured onto the valve stem. Such retainers typically prevent the valve spring from wearing into the engine head surface.
While the use of plastic retainers in connection with internal combustion engines is known in the art, there exists a need for an improved combination of valve stem seals. More particularly, there exists a need for a multi-seal retainer assembly for a multi-valve assembly that is easy to produce, involves a fairly tidy and repeatable process, reduces the number of engine components, and makes the components that are used easier to handle and assemble with respect to a particular engine head configuration.